"The Bird Book 



the breast is a rich, dark rust colour. The female 

 is altogether duller and her head is brown instead 

 of black. 



There is something in the favourite attitude of 

 these birds indicative of character, which enables 

 you to distinguish them from their relative the 

 Whinchat, even when you cannot see the colouring. 

 It is not easy to define, though quite apparent 

 to the eye. The Stonechat sits squarely on a 

 bramble with its tail cocked jauntily at an angle, 

 somewhat after the fashion of a House Sparrow 

 on the ground, while the Whinchat perches 

 daintily, its tail continuing the line of the 

 back. 



There are, however, more striking differences 

 than the one I have tried to describe. Though 

 sometimes found on the heath, the Whinchat is 

 far more frequently a habitant of the meadows, 

 where they may be seen throughout the early 

 summer flitting about in the neighbourhood of 

 their nest, settling now on a thistle-head, and now 

 on a tall buttercup stalk, which nods gracefully 

 beneath its burden. As they fly, a white patch on 

 the upper half of the tail is conspicuous, and this 

 alone is sufficient to reveal its possessor's identity. 

 Moreover, the upper surface of the bird is coloured 

 with two shades of brown, the black head and 

 white collar of the Stonechat are absent, and the 

 underparts are light chestnut, gradually fading to 

 pale buff on the lower breast. 



